Regional Airline Academy

[mayoplane]

RAA, like the one in KDED? My friend about a year ago said, " I don't know if I should do it. But I think I will take the risk." He borrowed all that money, and got nothing out of them. No interviews. He went thru some course with a CFI who had much less time than he did and flew F142 or something. It may work, it may not. It's up to you, but I would hate to see you go on the same path like my friend did. This is a lot of money.

 

[bobbysamd]

Guaranteed interviews

As far as these various airline training academies goes, any of them that guarantee you an interview for a pilot position upon completion of training are simply lying about it.

That's an unfair generalization. I would submit that a great many of these academies are lying about guaranteeing you an interview, but not all.

For example, Mesa. MAPD grads get interviews with Mesa; the caveat being is they must maintain a B average or better in all flight courses and to be sure to mind their Ps and Qs. In other words, keep their yaps shut if they have complaints and follow the program.

FlightSafetyhad tie-ins with a couple of regionals, most notably ASA. The place steered CFIs to ASA interviews after they flew off their 800 hour commitment. In line with that, a couple of people have written me that FSI would upgrade school grads it hired to CFI-I and MEI on it nickel in return for that 800-hour commitment.

I cannot recall if Comair, er, Delta Connection Academy, guarantees an interview with the airline. I recall, though, that the bars to getting a CFI job at the place and then the interview are set high.

Having said all that, this RAA program sounds like bunkum to me and sounds exactly the same as P-F-T of the early nineties.

 

[phantom122]

Yeah, but page through any given Flying magazine and you'll find tons of ads for schools promising a fast track to the airlines. You know, they have a picture of some smacked a$$ sitting in an RJ with a quote about how he went from 0 time to airline pilot in 1 year. This MAYBE happened to what, 5 percent of people in the mid 90's when things were moderately decent in the industry.

Having said that, yes I'd agree that I was too hasty to make the sweeping generalization like that. I should say the majority of, not all of the large flight academies out there.

 

[WrightAvia]

What about the flight school ad with the unwed mother sitting on the wing of a duchess or seneca with her kids, while wearing an airline style flight instructor uniform?

Yea...that's what I would do as a single mom. Go into 30,000 to 50,000 bucks worth of debt to get in line for low paying flight instructor jobs, then only to get in another line to fly 135 and then get in line for a low paying FO job at COLGAN and have to PAY 18,000 bucks to get that.

No wonder they drug test pilots.

 

[Flash]

Yes, but single mom has backing of big bucks daddy, article states he was a recently retired chief pilot for Delta.

 

[bobbysamd]

Flight school ads

Yeah, but page through any given Flying magazine and you'll find tons of ads for schools promising a fast track to the airlines.

But of course! What else can they advertise? Fast track to flight instructing? With all due respect to career CFIs, especially myself! But you get the point. They have nothing else to sell but glamor. And, of course, the airlines are glamor.

You know, they have a picture of some smacked a$$ sitting in an RJ with a quote about how he went from 0 time to airline pilot in 1 year.

It's all a part of vocational school P.R. Flight schools are no different than other vocational schools. E.g., the places you see advertised on local afternoon TV.

Broadcasting schools are no different. They claim that after you take their course and use their free placement service that in no time you will be behind the mike in New York, the biggest radio market in the country, making six figures. It's all puffery and baloney. The truth about radio and broadcasting schools is there is no announcer shortage, and your first job will be in someplace like South Armpit, Nebraska, making $175 a week, if you're hired at all. My point is that it is all advertising; take it with a huge grain of salt. And know the difference between promises and guarantees.

 

[Publishers]

interviews

Many of the flight schools do have guarnateed interviews arrangements with various carriers.

I do know that Allegheny did hire RAA graduates. Comair and others gurantee interviews and so do others like Gulfstream.

 

[LearLove]

Come guys, lets use alittle common sence. Look at the vast majority of pilots on this board. We went to and FBO got our tickets, instructed, flew traffic, pipe line, tours then moved to multi flying then to the regionals. Time frame 3 to 6 years from start to 121 FO depending the person. That is the general profile of 75% of the guys here and out in the industry. So if somebody comes to you or places an ad saying give me $$$ and I'll get you the job thousands work so hard at for years to get the chances are HE/SHE IS STREATCHING THE TRUTH or SCAMING.

BOTTOM LINE: (and this goes for outside this industry too)

ANYTHING THATS WORTH WHILE DOING ISN'T GOING TO BE HANDED TO YOU OR EASY. AND IT CAN'T BE BOUGHT.



PS - anybody else thing of reporting some of these companies like Air Inc, RAA ect to the BBB (better bizz buearu SP?)?

 

[Publishers]

Report them for what

Air Inc is the recognized leading expert in airline employment whether we think so or not. RAA has been there and doing well.

 

[bobbysamd]

Air, Inc.

Air Inc is the recognized leading expert in airline employment whether we think so or not.

. . . because of Kit's success in promolgating that sophistry known as the pilot shortage. People, myself included, believed there was a pilot shortage, thanks in no small measure to Kit Darby. Enter Kit, and his ability to "help" people get jobs. No wonder he is the expert; he created the industry!

Wasn't it Hitler who created the Big Lie theory? Come up with a big enough lie and people will think it is the truth. Kit did the same thing wtih the pilot shortage.

Sorry, just had to get in a shot against Kit, FAPA, and Son of FAPA, Air, Inc.

 

[Ralph]

BULLCRAP

"ANYTHING THATS WORTH WHILE DOING ISN'T GOING TO BE HANDED TO YOU OR EASY. AND IT CAN'T BE BOUGHT."

How many pilots ata ASA 'bought' a good job via FlightSafety?

How many pilots 'bought' a good job at comair via the Comair academy. It ain't cheap to learn there. Lots of pilots 'bought' good jobs.

Thats the system. What goes around does not come around and it isn't fair.

 

[phantom122]

There never was, nor will there ever be, a "pilot shortage".

Some people forget that a guaranteed interview does not equal a guaranteed job. Just ask the guy who came out of Pan Am academy who bought into the big lie. Now he's desperately tring to get an $8.00/hr. flight instructing job. Buyer beware.

 

[halfmoon]

From what I understand, Allegheny IS NOT hiring. last i heard they were furloughing. So the only interview you will get with any possible job prospect through RAA will be Colgan (only if you have 17K in your cheking account).
Sorry, looks like you'll have to flight instruct and fly freight like the rest of us

have a great time!